Charitable nature defines Gonzales

July 25, 2012

By Todd Milles, The Olympian

This story originally appeared in The Olympian.

Andres Gonzales

He might be on a different professional golf tour – and in different places week to week - but Olympia’s Andres Gonzales is still as big-hearted as ever.

As one of the top money earners on the Web.com Tour, Gonzales will host his second annual Andres Gonzales Charity Golf Tournament, set for Sept. 17 at Tacoma Country and Golf Club in Lakewood.

Like last year, funds raised will go directly to pancreatic cancer awareness and The First Tee of South Puget Sound, a youth development program that teaches character through golf.

“We raised just under $60,000 last year, which we were pleased with,” said Gonzales, a Capital High School graduate. “We would like to see it get to $75,000 this year.”

Because of the later date – Gonzales’ first charity event last year was in mid-July – and it being scheduled right in the middle of the FedEx Cup playoffs for PGA TOUR players, much of this year’s field will consist of Web.com (formerly "Nationwide") Tour players.

Some of the names expected to participate include a few guys who played in the event last year – University Place’s Michael Putnam, Spokane’s Alex Prugh, and Jim Renner and Chris Baryla.

Newcomers include Peter Tomasulo, Aron Price, Hudson Swafford, Paul Haley, James Love and James Hahn.

One of the reasons Gonzales selected this date – a Monday – is that it comes right after the closest Web.com Tour stop. The Albertsons Boise Open concludes the day before.

Gonzales, who won the Soboba Golf Classic in April, currently ranks fourth on the Web.com money list with $217,432, and has essentially wrapped up his PGA Tour card for next season, Other participants in the top 25 include Hahn (No. 5 at $194,695), Swafford (No. 11 at $154,811) and Tomasulo (No. 20 at $106,024).

Amateur entry forms are on Gonzales’ website – www.andresgonzalesgolf.com – for members of Tacoma Country and Golf Club only through July 27, then available to anybody else after that date.

Tee prizes will be available for the teams, and a silent auction will be held after the round.